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It was Minister Sunil Handunnetti who made a humble apology that he made a mistake by mentioning the Nobel Prize instead of the Guinness World Record, but the Leader of the House and Minister of Transport, Bimal Rathnayake, claims it’s being done deliberately.

Industries Minister Sunil Handunnetti’s slip in describing Sri Lanka’s Guinness World Record achievement for the most expensive tea ever sold as a “Nobel Prize” was reported earlier this week.

“We won the Nobel Prize at the exhibition held in Japan,” the minister told the media, referring to Sri Lanka’s entry into the Guinness World Records after the New Vithanakande Tea Factory achieved recognition for producing the world’s most expensive tea.

The factory secured the record with its premium Ceylon Black Tea, which was sold in Japan for 252,500 rupees a kilo.

“A kilo of Lankan tea was sold for over 860 dollars. I think we set a Guinness record. Lankan tea has exceptional quality, and our target and challenge is to meet the export demand in the tea industry. I believe we can overcome this,” Minister Handunnetti said.

But Minister Rathanayake’s reaction was different.

“The Opposition is waiting for us to slip up with a word, so once in a while, we deliberately say a wrong word or two. Otherwise, they don’t have something to live on. We have to allow Namal Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa to also give voice cuts too.”

“We can’t be doing everything perfectly all the time. So once in a while, we deliberately say a wrong word or two and do something like that,” he added.

Sinhala Ravaya monk irked by Navy’s demand for payment

The Sri Lanka Navy has requested a payment of Rs 14,000 for providing boats for the water-cutting ceremony of the 13th annual Binara Maha Perahera, held on the Kalu Ganga. Organisers described the request as unprecedented in the history of the festival.

Venerable Magalkande Sudaththa Thera, Chairman of the Sinhala Ravaya Organisation and organiser of the event, has expressed concern over the Navy’s request, noting that the Perahera has traditionally received state support as a government-recognised Buddhist festival.

The Kalutara Municipal Council and the Mayor reportedly did not provide assistance, including basic facilities such as city lighting, drinking water, and sanitation for the thousands of devotees attending the Perahera, while MP Nandana Padmakumara of the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (NPP) and the Kalutara District Secretary had extended full support to the organisers.

The Thera says he intends to submit a formal complaint to President Anura Dissanayake regarding the Navy’s request. The Navy’s financial estimate for providing the boats has been included in the complaint for official review.

President and team enjoy rice and pol sambol aboard bullet train

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, who flew to Osaka, Japan, from New York, USA, to attend the Sri Lanka Day celebrations at the “EXPO 2025” exhibition, had a novel experience on their way to Tokyo, which was their next stop.

Instead of flying from Osaka to Tokyo, they took a ride on the bullet train, which was arranged by the Japanese government. Before they boarded the train, several Sri Lankans living in Osaka visited them, and among these was a man who brought them two packets of rice meal made in the traditional manner for them to enjoy on the train. The sumptuous meal consisted of rice, fish, dhal and pol sambol, all the Sri Lankan favourites which the President and the Minister enjoyed while on the train.

Premier Ishiba’s astrology question to President

On the subject of elephants, during the luncheon held in honour of the visiting Sri Lankan President, an elephant vegetable carving was part of the table decor as a symbol of the close bond between the two countries.

The luncheon discussion strayed from politics and economics, with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba inquiring from the Lankan leader if he believes in astrology and consults astrologers for auspicious times for special events. The President replied he had not engaged in such things, but there are other Sri Lankans who consult astrologers and seek out auspicious times, particularly when getting married.

Second inauguration for Jaffna Economic Centre

Trade Minister Samarasinghe visiting a stall at the Jaffna Economic Centre

The Jaffna Special Economic Centre was reopened for a second time on Tuesday despite years of longstanding dispute between relevant stakeholders on its location. It now stands at Madduvil, Chavakachcheri.

Funded with Rs 200 million of taxpayers’ money in 2022, the centre was declared open by then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. On the following day, the centre was closed down after sellers and middlemen reportedly refused to extend their support.

Present during Tuesday’s reopening were Trade and Food Security Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayahan, and NPP MPs K. Ilankumaran, S. Sribavanantharaja, and J. Rajeevan.

For the past three years, the building complex has remained abandoned, with bushes covering the front yard, while livestock take rest under its shade.

A farmer from the region who was in the audience was heard saying that he attended the first opening years ago and now wants to see the centre up and running, serving the local farmers and selling their harvest at reasonable prices compared to local traders who demand lower prices.

Legal snags stall Lanka’s elephant gift to Japan

President Dissanayake and Foreign Minister Herath attend the breakfast reception hosted by Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League

While in Tokyo, the President attended a breakfast reception at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo organised by the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary League. During the talks, there was an unusual request by League members who made a special request for two female baby elephants from Sri Lanka for the Tokyo Zoo.

They explained that while a temperature-controlled modern enclosure with adequate space has been constructed to house two elephants, the enclosure remains empty with no animals.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, who was present at the meeting, explained that there was a court case pending because of which gifting elephants was on hold at present and said the request would be considered once the court case was sorted out.

Do NPP MPs’ allowances also go to party account?

For many years, the salaries of JVP/NPP MPs were credited to the party’s bank account, but after winning 156 seats at the 2024 parliamentary election, it’s only the salaries of the President, Prime Minister and ministers that are channelled to an NPP main party account at Pelawatta, while the MPs’ salaries are credited to district accounts of the party, according to JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva.

This money from the party accounts is first spent for the work of the MPs, and the rest is used for party activities, he said in a television interview recently. At present the basic salary of an MP is Rs 54,285, but with various allowances, the monthly amount exceeds Rs 250,000, inclusive of a fuel allowance, drivers’ allowances, and a Rs 100,000 office allowance.

It is not clear if the NPP MPs also send their allowances to the party accounts because if that is the case, it is questionable how an amount allocated from public funds for a specific purpose, such as maintaining an office or for fuel for each MP, can be sent to a party fund for political activity.